Gap Year timeline

Started by kittycat090198
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June 10th is a great time for the DAT. To give you an idea, I took mine July 23rd and still had 8 pre-dec interviews.
 
That's a hard decision.

It really depends on how well you do on your DAT and class. If you feel like you are going to do really well in the class (based on instructor and orgo I experience) then I'd wait.

Other than that, I'd submit as early as possible.
 
kittycat090198 said:
Hi - first post here!

I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions for a timeline as far as the application process/DAT. I know everyone says "early, early, early!" but I was thinking of taking the DAT June 10th. Is this too late to be taking it? Also - if I am not happy with this score (I'm confident that I will be but just in case!) I would be retaking it Sept 9-11th per the whole waiting 90 days before retaking it thing... Another timeline question I had was whether me taking Orgo II this summer (july9-Aug20) would make admissions offices delay looking at my application? Or is it okay because it's a planned course/I'd be matriculated in it?

Any links that address this or suggestions/advice of your own would be greatly appreciated!

Edit: Should mention that I'm graduating in May and am taking a gap year and therefore hoping to enroll 2016.
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So you are planning on starting to apply in the cycle starting June 2015? In that case, I personally think that if you wanted to get your application in as early as possible, it might be better to take the DAT a little earlier than June since applications open in early June. You'd want to have all your requirements ready (including your DAT scores) when you submit your application. If you take it in June and are not happy with your score, retaking it in Sept might be risky if you want to be "early" because some schools start handing out interview invitations as early as the end of July or beginning of August. However, if you feel like you won't be ready for the test until June, you can forego having your application complete as soon as the application cycle opens in order to have the best quality application. As long as you have your application complete by the end of July, I would consider that "early." This is all just my own personal opinion, of course.

Best of luck!
 
kittycat090198 said:
Yes so I'm applying June 2015 in order to enroll in 2016, so I'm taking a gap year. June 10th is the earliest I think I'd be ready to take it as I'm graduating in May and want to dedicate a couple of weeks of just studying for the DAT (as opposed to what I'll be doing all this semester -- which is my 15 credit hours, working part time, and also studying for the DAT). My issue is that due to scheduling and professor conflicts I haven't been able to take Orgo II's lecture. So, I was going to take in this summer July9-Aug20th. So if I sent my application in by, say, July 1st could I just update them with my score from my Orgo II lecture? I'm taking biochemistry this semester, if that changes anything.
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I think it should be fine if you just sent in your application in July and update them with your Orgo II score once you receive them. I was in a similar situation this cycle and had to take 2 quarters worth of Physics last summer. I just indicated it as a "planned" course when I submitted my application and was accepted to multiple schools in December. I ended up sending my schools an unofficial academic update in Aug/Sept for my Physics grades (ie. emailed a screen shot of my grades to the schools I interviewed at as soon as my Physics grades were available instead of sending via AADSAS in November). I don't think it affected the schools' decisions much, if at all.
 
kittycat090198 said:
Thanks so much! I cannot believe I never used this website before - everyone's so nice! 🙂 Haha congrats on your acceptances... Where did you end up?
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Thanks! I got very lucky and was accepted at my top choice UCLA! 😀 I'm excited to move to California haha.
And yeah, SDN is really great! Everyone is going through/has gone through the same experience so they're all very willing to help out!
Do you have a number one school in mind?
 
Apply to BU as well. I interviewed at both BU and Tufts, both good schools, though expensive! #bostonpride Good Luck!
 
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